Day 56 - Friday 28 June - Geneva to Avignon

Friday 28 June

We were needing to wash clothes, and with no facilities here or in Avignon, we needed action.  So we were ready early, and went to the laundromat, packed all the damp stuff in a suitcase and went to the station.  We rolled along in our upstairs 1st class until Lyon where we had to change.

There were 2 hours to spare, so I lined up with a lucky number to try to book up our next French journeys.  I waited over an hour, with people who came after me being served and leaving, and finally I had to give up because it was time to head for the platform.  I had a few words with one of the clerks as I gave him my ticket back.

We were up on the platform when they announced the train was 30mins late.  So we waited more, and finally it came and people barged on.  There seemed to be no concern about 1st or 2nd class, and indeed no-one came along to check tickets at all.  It was a compartment carriage, and we shared with 3 USA-sounding people, one of whom must have weighed 300kg.  After they left, the train just kept getting fuller, with people and suitcases piled up all over.  By the time we neared Avignon, we were worried about how we were going to get out.  But with the help of another guy who was leaving and took one of our bags, we managed it, and reached our bnb.

This one comes with an indoor, backyard pool, so we unpacked our wet washing, and jumped in.  Sooo good.

 

Then we walked around the block to a restaurant recommended by our host.  Today France's record for highest temperature ever was broken by a little village about 70km from here. They got to 45.9deg. Weather forecast for here is high 30s for another week. Looking forward to Spain, only high 20s.